“It doesn’t take much to make the crime rate go down; it could be a difference of five or six cases. Theft reports were the most prevalent crimes committed in the city. A lower number in these cases contributed to the decrease in crime,” he said.

“I want to thank each one of you for the financial support to run a professional, highly trained municipal police department,” Davis wrote in a memo to the commissioners. “Your support provides us the capability to perform the essential law enforcement services to our community. The Canyon Police Department is committed to maintaining compliance with the Texas Police Chiefs Association best practices to assure we operate professionally, ethically and with high integrity.”

He said that last year was busy for detectives in regard to the investigation of significant criminal cases. One homicide occurred during the year. That incident occurred July 3. Officers were dispatched to Hunsley Hills Boulevard and Birdie in reference to a vehicle that had just been stolen and a subject lying in the middle of the roadway injured. The officers found Harold Dean Finch, 29, lying unconscious in the middle of the street. A male witness indicated that he and Finch attempted to apprehend an individual who had stolen Finch’s pickup. In the course of the suspect committing the theft, Finch was run over by the fleeing automobile. Finch was transported to Northwest Texas Hospital, where he died from his injuries. The pickup was located abandoned on the Palo Duro Creek Golf Course, and a short time later the suspect, 17-year-old Apollo Rivera-Rodriguez, was apprehended. He awaits trial in the Randall County Jail. Davis said that two traffic fatalities were investigated, one of which was later ruled as a suicide. The first fatality took place on May 23. The accident occurred just north of State Highway 217 on Interstate 27. The accident involved two motor vehicles, both of which were northbound on Interstate 27. A silver Nissan van was parked facing northbound on the shoulder of the road. The driver was from Crystal City and had a passenger from Amarillo. A black Chevy Tahoe crossed the white shoulder line, striking the rear of the Nissan. The two occupants of the Nissan were transported to Northwest Texas Hospital by ambulance. The female passenger underwent emergency surgery and died at the hospital.

The second fatality that occurred in Canyon happened at 4th Street and the railroad tracks. Shelbi McClure, 21, was killed when the black Honda Accord she was driving was hit by a west-bound train. Upon further investigation, it was determined that McClure had intentionally pulled upon the tracks to commit suicide. The news of McClure’s death resonated through the West Texas A&M University campus, where McClure was a popular figure and involved in many activities, including cheerleading.

“The patrol force, which is the most visible component within the city, remains the primary component of the police department,” Davis said.

“This is one area I’m not real proud of. While there was an 18 percent increase in traffic collisions, there was a 20 percent increase in traffic enforcement,” Davis said.

“Usually when you write more citations, your traffic collisions decrease.”

“We probably didn’t target the appropriate violations. Starting this week I sent something out to our sergeants outlining ways we need to do a better job of enforcing traffic violations.”

The police department had one officer resign in 2012 to an accounting job. “The goal of recruitment, retention, and training is to maintain a professionally trained police force,” Davis said.

“As always, I encourage the City of Canyon to continue to search for new measures to promote officer recruitment and retention. The loss in law enforcement experience and training is costly to our citizens’ public safety.”